Chapter 29: Second Chance

Two weeks after Kiryu's coup.

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As soon as Kiryu had the Legion of Doom under his control, big changes occurred. Starting with the army.

The muto species has been listed as a kill on sight. The few remaining mutos left in the world have gone deep underground to ride out the remainder of the conflict. As for Battra, he has a different fate.

Kiryu needs him in order to finish the construction and the detonation of the oxygen destroyer, because of this he has been kept alive, but barely.

His mortal wounds were healed but he has been maimed some more. Both sets of his wings have been removed in order to prevent him from healing. His middle horn has been chopped off and the stub was ground down into his head. His two outer curved horns remain however. Lastly, a large metal cable has been surgically installed into the back of his head so Kiryu can tap into his mind at any time. Because of this cable he is mounted on a wall and is held in place with large metal clamps. A glass outer casing in the shape of a tube surrounds him. He is guarded 24/7 by a squad of heavily armed guard jaegers. There is no chance he can escape.

During this time however, Rodan has spilled the beans about every single thing he knows about the Legion of Doom and their plans. He told Godzilla of the oxygen destroyer, he told Mothra about what is happening to her egg, and he told them both that it won't be long before Kiryu will be able to sterilize the world with his bomb. Godzilla, not one for wasting time, asks Rodan if anything can be done to stop this.

"Rodan, is there any way on Earth that we are able to stop the clock from ticking? Any way at all?"

"Not that I am aware of. I don't know a damn thing about that bomb. All I know is that Battra was not killed during the fight. Gigan motioned towards him but I saw Kiryu pull him back. He needs him for something but I don't know what."

Mothra's antennae shoot up.

"I know my brother more than anyone. If I were Kiryu I would imagine that he was spared because of his brilliance. I think Battra's mind is the key to his superweapon.

Godzilla turns his head to his mate.

"Then we go after Battra? We just find where he is at and then kill him before Kiryu extracts any more information?"

Mothra lowers her antennae. A dismal look sprawls across her face. Rodan turns his gaze towards her.

"No...we rescue him."

"Rescue him?" Godzilla and Rodan both spurt.

"Yes, we rescue him. As much as it pains me to say that it is our only option. He knows more about Kiryu than any of us do, as well as his bomb. If we have any chance of stopping Kiryu and his plan to wipe us out we need to find and save Battra."

"Remember last time you made us ally with him? And look where that went! Now we are here. Every time we deal with the devil it costs us in the long run."

"I remember it was him and his muto allies that allowed us to defeat Ghidorah. Without him and his help he would have killed us and terraformed the Earth."

"But it was at the cost of you, my love. We have a family now, don't you get it? We can't risk them. Not another one. We lost our daughter, but we can't lose our sons. Inviting Battra into our group is giving him another shot at killing me and taking over. Everywhere and everyone he serves under gets betrayed. I can't risk that."

Rodan turns to Godzilla.

"Look, Mothra is right. This isn't a time to dwell on past problems. Our world is at stake."

He moves one of his wings towards Mothra's remaining eggs. Both of their gazes follow his sweeping arm.

"Our future is at stake. What Battra did to us is without a doubt vile and horrible, but he is our only shot at defeating Kiryu and his jaeger army. We need him. We need his strength. And maybe, after we rescue him from wherever he is held he might have a change of heart about who he is as a kaiju."

Godzilla takes a deep breath and sighs. His eyes swivel over to Mothra's. They make eye contact for a few seconds.

"Goji, he needs us. Every time I sense him all I feel is sadness. Guilt. Pain. He needs us more than ever. If we don't save him he will be left to wither and die. We need him. Search inside yourself and you know it's true."

Godzilla turns to Rodan.

"If Battra is our only hope, we need to find where he is being kept. You know where every major facility is located. Where do you think he is?"

"Hmmm. There are only two spots I can imagine. Either at the Mayan Fortress or at the Jaeger Command Relay Station in Texas. That place is where the jaegers are commanded from. I don't think he would be kept at the fortress because it is in shambles after their fight. If I had to guess he would be at the command station."

"I can't send any of us over there just on a guess. We need information. Rodan, I need you to get as close as you can to the facility and retrieve a jaeger. The humans can access it's files and see if Battra is being kept there. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, anything to show you that I'm on your side."

Just as Godzilla turned around to leave Rodan placed a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to face him.

"Hey...I'm sorry about everything. I want you to know that I didn't kill Anguirus. I am sorry for betraying you Godzilla, I am sorry for everything I have done. I don't want forgiveness, I just want you to understand."

Godzilla stared at him a second and then pulled him in for a tight hug. Tears forming in his eyes. Godzilla released him from his hug. He places a hand on Rodan's shoulder.

"It's okay Rodan, I forgive you."

Rodan nodded his head and took flight towards the command center. Godzilla and Mothra watched as he flew out into the horizon.

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Mayan Fortress: one hour later.

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Kiryu and Gigan have finally gathered enough materials to transform Gigan with nano metal. Kiryu leads him into his newly rebuilt and expanded lab to a flat metal operating table. Gigan lays down onto the table and Kiryu uses heavy metal cuffs to restrict his hands and feet from moving. Gigan frantically looks around the room. Just as Kiryu fastens the last cuff he begins to speak.

"Gigan, what you are about to go through will be the most painful thing imaginable. Your own DNA will be stripped apart and replaced with the nano metal. You will feel every nerve in your body be torn apart. Nothing can be done to soften the pain. All you can do is pray for mercy. Once the metal comes in contact with your flesh it will liquify and cover you. It will try to enter your mouth. Allow it to enter. Fighting it will be impossible. Remember, after this ordeal is complete, you will be reborn into a new body. One that is near indestructible. Only then will you be ready for the coming conflict. Only then will you truly be machine."

Gigan gulps. Kiryu grins and moves towards a table on the far end of the room. He picks up a large metal cube. Easily the size of a normal 5 story parking garage. The cube's surface begins to ripple like waves. Flashes of white and blue light shimmer in the waves. Kiryu brings the cube above Gigan's chest. The swaying metal mere feet away from his flesh. Kiryu gazes into his visor.

"This is your last chance to stop. Once I set the cube upon your chest there is no going back. This is your chance to stop. Do you wish to continue Gigan."

Gigan hesitates. Many thoughts flash through his mind. He nervously swallows.

"Yes. Give it all to me."

"As you wish...Gigan."

Kiryu slowly lowers the cube. It makes contact on Gigan's chest. The metal is cold, and moving. Almost like cold water running across your chest. Then, with a massive flash of plasma blue light, the cube begins to melt. The metal changes from dark grey to plasma blue and the transformation begins.

Gigan lets out a loud, guttural mechanical screech as the metal begins it's work. Kiryu steps back as Gigan begins to writhe in agony. His chest feels like it's being ripped open and hot magma is being poured inside. His flesh begins to dissolve as the metal starts to seep into his flesh. The metal begins to move and spill onto his limbs. His arms, legs, head, and tail begin to suffer the same pain as his chest. Gigan looks down during his feeble attempt to break free to see the metal flow into his mouth. His cries become garbled as the cold metal flows down his throat. His insides begin to melt. His own flesh being consumed as energy to be replaced by metal. Then, just as his whole body is fully covered, the real transformation begins.

The metal begins to build itself around his green and gold scales. A thin layer of skin forms over his quivering and screaming muscles. Then, more layers begin to build. Gigan continues to cry out in absolute agony as his body becomes consumed. His mind begins to split apart as the metal begins to rip apart his neurons. The metal begins to rip apart his muscles. Tearing them from his bones as new mechanical ones start to replace them. Kiryu watches on his computer screens for just the right moment. Any second now...NOW!

Kiryu rushes over and grabs a large mechanical arm above Gigan. He pushes a button and four large prongs extend out of the sides. Then, a long and thick needle shoots out of the end of the barrel. Gigan continues to cry out as Kiryu quickly slams this device down onto Gigan's chest. The needle pierces through the rippling metal and the prongs clamp around Gigan's chest. Kiryu presses a button on his computer screen and the needle uploads design schematics into the metal.

Almost at once the rippling metal begins to take on a shape. The first few layers of metal skin harden up and thicken with more metal. Around Gigan's shoulders metal plates begin to grow. His green and gold skin starts to be covered up by his new midnight blue metal flesh. His body becomes leaner and more human like. His tail sprouts a metal claw arm with spikes that run all the way up his back. His golden sails extend and turn blood red. Spikes shoot out of the ridges on them. His chest begins to contort and form a design that resembles Japanese samurai armor plating. His legs extend just a little bit and his four-toed claw feet begin to rebuild. His arms begin to morph back into his scythe blades. The blades extend outwards and form a smaller secondary blade beneath the main one. On his chest a row of metal spikes begin to form. Gigan feels as they burst through his chest. His head however, receives the most dramatic transformation.

His beak extends outwards and the smaller mandibles on the sides extend and sharpen. The teeth he had become larger and more of them form. His tongue splits and now resembles that of a snake's. A large metal horn forms on the top of his head that is in line with his back spikes. Large metal plates begin to form around the back of his head and neck. Kiryu steps closer and gazes upon his transforming friend. The process is almost complete.

The remaining metal begins to form smaller and more noticeable ridges on his armor around his legs, chest and arms. Spikes begin to grow on his knees and elbows. Then, the rippling effect on his skin begins to slow. Gigan lets out less cries of pain. His flesh sears like a stake on the grill. Smoke rises from his seared skin. The metal only ripples when his heart beats and then it stops. Kiryu reaches over and grabs the needle arm. He sharply pulls it off. The metal trapped inside quickly fills the hole and his armor repairs itself. A spike grows where the needle was inserted. Gigan breathes heavily. Kiryu detaches the cuffs from his limbs. Gigan coughs heavily and rolls off of the table. He collapses onto the stone floor below.

"Gigan...how do you feel?"

Gigan slowly gets up off of the ground. He gazes down at his new midnight blue metal skin. He looks at all the new spikes he gained and he notices the height he also gained. He turns around and looks at Kiryu with a sinister grin. His red visor gleaming with malice.

"Never been better."

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Author's note: Sorry for the delay with this chapter, I am trying to re-adjust to going back to school and because of that my writing schedule has once again been messed up. But nevertheless here we are! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Anyway I will see y'all next week.

Random: I have the KnickKnack pixar short music stuck in my head and it is killing me. I regret ever watching that short.